the only thing stopping the engine coming out is to figure out how to remove the gear selector and steady bar.

I can't think what the problem is but mine just unbolted. The gear selector that passes under the gearbox comes off by removing two bolts, the support bracket unbolts from the front of the subframe and that's it.

If you can get underneath to see, it's relatively straight forward - there's a crosspiece the width of the sump (accross the car - timing chain to bell housing) and there are two - (or perhaps one end has one and the other end has two?) bolts on the ends of this crosspeice holding it to the engine. Obvious if you can see it. Easy to remove.

hi thanks, sorted it by lifting engine up from subframe a bit and slid the whole length out, the bolts were welded on so i couldn't undo any of them. just front subframe to remove now nice and easy, then i can get on with the body work.

right, ive taken meassurments of the body and all seems ok. the roof looks warped out of shape so i am trying to source one as im not going to use the soft top after all.

I don't know what's been going on here but the front seems to have been cut off the hardtop in this photo It should be properly finished off with a flange that fits below the windscreen header rail for bolting it down. Do your doors open and close ok and what are the gaps like? If they're ok then then I wouldn't think that the body is twisted, certainly not by that much.

thanks for replying. thats how it was when i got it. the doors fit great with nice gaps. i took loads of meassurements on body and compared left to right, all seems spot on. dont suppose you have a pick of front of the roof lip. ill have you some pics i said i would send very soon.

Of all the hundreds of pics I've taken over the last 2 1/2 years I haven't got one of the hard top I'll try and get one for you tomorrow but the last time I tried I had a job getting my camera to download so fingers crossed.....

Here we go........





The lip on my hardtop hasn't been drilled for the fixing bolts yet but if you look underneath your windscreen top rail you will see the fixings for the lip or, if not already drilled, the markings to show where they go. Sorry the photos aren't very good.

thanks for that, very helpfull. rossabits dont have one in stock. it certainly looks like the entire lip and edge has been removed. i am going to try warming it, get it in shape without stressing it, then mould a new edge and lip on to keep it in shape.
got my log book back today, yuk they are now pink.

thanks alot rossabitz for lending me the roof. after trying it i had the same problem. i unbolted the front subframe and jacked the front nearside about a inch and it fitted. put my roof back on and it fitted ok. im going to make some strengthening to the front edge of the roof, then find the best thing to bond where the panels meet before bolting in place. the panel gaps i will then fill and smooth.

Glad to have helped with the problem.
Just let us know when you're bringing the
hardtop back.
If it makes it any easier for you, we could meet
at the next Midlands meeting at Newark on the
second Tuesday of next month.

OH YER. i now have a nice bonded on roof that fits spot on, cheers again for the loan of the roof Alan. only need to smooth the top side and sand so it all looks like one piece where it joins the top of the windscreen frame.

Glad to hear that you've been successful You should have a few less leaks on wet days now as well

picked a winscreen up last night from some one breaking a c15 in ebay. only 6 miles away and only 30 quid. fits spot on. the one that came with the car was too big in places.